Black coffee at two in the morning
by Persepone
Summary: I mangled them, tormented them, stole their souls, had them kill each other, commit suicide... and now this!


Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic and characters – but I do owe them a break

Black coffee at two in the morning 

Shadow stretched his hands high above his head and let out a huge yawn. He dimly remembered sitting down. It couldn't have been more than a few hours ago. Someone had turned off the electric lights and lit candles in their place. Half of them had burned down, leaving the living-room in a warm, pleasant twilight.

The black hedgehog stumbled to his feet. Bottles, ashtrays and miscellaneous debris from last night's party littered the floor. The slow, deep breathing of sound sleep filled the air, mingled with an occasional grunt or hiccup. He was the only one yet awake.

Carefully ("I don't care two quills about them, but falling is never much fun," he told himself, almost able to believe it) he made his way to the kitchen. Coffee would be nice… Not that he had a hangover! The ultimate creation didn't get hang-overs! But… coffee would be nice…

He found a jar of instant and filled the boiler.

While he waited for the water to boil, he walked over to the door and stood there, leaning on its frame. He ran a hand over his forehead and eyed the sleeping creatures.

- Crazy kids…

Yet he couldn't help smiling. It had been one hell of a party…

Sonic was sleeping on the couch with Amy at his side. Sure, he could run, but when it came to drinking… pah! After just one beer he had declared the girl his undying love. Shadow hoped for him he woke up first. And could remember how to run!

Still, she had been every bit as drunk – with a little luck neither of them would remember anything…

Knuckles was lying face down in a bowl of popcorn in front of the TV. Which was probably very fortunate; Shadow wasn't sure he would be able to look the echidna in the face without laughing. Ever again. Somewhere between whiskey and vodka o'clock, the red creature himself had talked Rouge into fixing him up with some make-up. This was after he had proclaimed Shadow to be his long lost twin-brother. That guardian really should get out more…

Shadow giggled ("No I didn't! I never giggle! Pink creatures giggle!") as his "brother" turned over in his sleep and started snoring softly. A popcorn stuck in his mascara.

A light "click" announced that the boiler had done its duty and would like to discuss the opportunity of early retirement.

Shadow went through the cupboard looking for a mug. He almost tripped over someone sleeping on the floor, and cursed under his breath, fighting to regain balance.

So this was where Rouge had wandered off to. One quick glance into the sink, as he poured water into the mug, told him both that she had reached the most advanced stages of alcoholic intoxication, and that she had had peas for dinner the night before.

He grimaced, stung by the smell more than anything else. Luckily Tails had been sent to Cream for a sleep-over – some things were not for an innocent mind.

Looking down at Rouge while stirring his satisfyingly dark coffee, faint memories knocked politely on various doors in Shadow's mind. He was very sure he didn't want to let them in. He had a nasty foreboding that one of them wanted to tell him about the song "We will rock you," a lampshade and (for blissfully obscured reasons) marshmallows…

Hoping none of the others would remember half as much as he did, he walked soundlessly to the window and stood there looking at grey pre-dawn, nipping his scalding hot coffee. He would have to leave soon; Shadow the hedgehog wouldn't be caught dead helping some stupid kids clean up after some dumb party. He had his reputation to think about. And his head. He winced. Sure, the ultimate form of life didn't get hang-overs… nonetheless he would like to spend the next, say, twenty-four hours somewhere dark, cool and very, very quiet…

But not just yet… He still had time… They would be out cold for a few more hours. Amateurs. Dummies. Fakers…

- Friends…

No-one could hear him anyway. He would deny it all in the morning, as would they.

Shadow smiled as he gulped down another mouthful of coffee, burning his tongue. Just then, just there, life was ok. He would, of course, deny this too. But not until the morning. Not just yet.


End file.
